What do you mean by compost it ?? I just have mine delivered by a friend who dumps a tractor/trailer load in our field. I leave it to sit there for at least 6 months before using it (far too much to shift it anywhere near my compost bins One heap is with straw, the other is just pure poo

We inherited about a dozen, mature rhododendrons/azaleas when we bought our house. They are in a shady area under trees and a very overgrown beech hedge. We have severely pruned the beech hedge now and the rhododendrons are now getting more light and seem to be doing a lot better this year. I have a huge amount of well-rotted horse manure (with and without straw) - any reason not to mulch the rhododendron with it ??

I bought a job lot of 75 perennials from T&M last year to fill lots of empty space until I get time to put other things in - virtually all survived (my first time buying plug plants) and the beds are looking very good this year despite the bad weather

I've got some Wild Swan on order from Hayloft which should come next month. I think they come as large plugs. Not cheap - 3 for £18.50, but I've found their plants good previously.

Bought a Honda. I heard that the reaason so many Honda cars on the road due to folk beng impressed with their mowers... bah

We bought a Honda about 5 years ago as we were moving to a house with a much bigger garden. A huge mistake - we have had nothing but trouble with the carburettor. Have replaced it, but still won't work properly - seems to be a common problem with them I give up usually and get our old Hayter out (almost 30 years old) - it's not a ;driven' model, but I'd rather use it than the Honda For the rest of the garden that isn't lawn, I use our Westwood ride-on mower. I'd love to use it on the lawn, but there are so many areas it wouldn't reach it isn't worth it.

We planted several fruit trees in autumn 2009 (bare root) from a good nursery. All have grown well. In 2011 we had the first fruit - 2 - from the Concorde pear 1/2 standard (we only planted one). These were delicious Last year we had no blossom at all - but it was a bad year so I didn't worry. This year there is only one 'head' of blossom. The tree is approximately 6 feet tall. Is this due to this year's weather/ the tree is still young or is there some other problem ? The other trees (several apples and a plum) all have a reasonable amount of blossom. Thank you

Thanks for the suggestions - I love Hollyhocks, Lupins and Delphiniums. I really want perennials so that I don't need to have to plant every year. Maybe once the main renovations are finished I might put annuals in, but not at the moment

We are renovating our front garden. At one side we have a new 3' picket fence that is approx. 60' long. There will be grass running up to it, but at the house end the grass will taper down to nothing as it runs up to the side gate. I would like to plant along the fence. The area gets early morning sun and late afternoon, summer sun. I'd like something attractive that won't get out of hand (like growing through the fence) nor requires too much maintence (we've got a huge garden to maintain). I'd like to plant into the grass rather than have a formal 'bed'. Preferably something that won't grow any higher than the fence. The other side of the fence is next door's driveway which I can access. We live in rural Norfolk. Thanks